Notes on World War I
Aggressive Nationalism - France and Germany - French bitter over loss of
Franco-Prussian War (1871) - France forced to give border provinces of Alsace and
Lorraine to Germany - France promised revenge against Germany and recovery of
the "lost provinces".
Eastern Europe - Pan-Slavism - powerful form of nationalism sponsored by Russia held that all Slavic peoples shared a common nationality - Russia was the largest
Slavic country, felt it had a duty to defend all Slavs - 1914.
Russia supported Serbia, a young Balkan nation that dreamed of becoming a South
Slav state - Austria-Hungary - multinational empire - worried that nationalism would
lead to rebellions by minority groups within its empire.
1912 - several Balkan states attacked Turkey (Ottomans ruled over much of the
region), Turkey lost - 1913- these states fought each other over new territory
- Balkans became known as a "Powder Keg of Europe" - a tiny spark could lead to
an explosion of WAR!
Imperialism (Rivalries Among European Powers) - Britain and Germany
competed for economic superiority in Europe.
France and Germany- 1905 and 1911 - Germany tried to prevent France from
making Morocco (N. Africa) a protectorate - diplomats kept the peace, Germany
gained some territory in central Africa - Britain and France formed closer ties.
Militarism and the Arms Race - militarism - glorification of the military (grew partly
out of Social Darwinism) - great powers expanded their armies & navies > arms
race increased suspicions, make more war likely - Germany & Britain - competed for
naval superiority - govts. turned to military leaders for advice
Alliances - distrust led great powers to sign treaties pledging to defend one
another. Alliances intended to create powerful combinations that no one would dare
attack
Triple Alliance - 1882 - Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary - Otto von Bismarck (first
chancellor of unified Germany) formed the alliance - known as the Central Powers
when WWI began
Triple Entente - 1907 - alliance of Britain, France, Russia - entente - a non-binding
agreement to follow common policies - known as the Allies when WWI began
Germany signed a treaty with Ottoman empire, Britain grew close with Japan
growth of rival alliances increase international tensions
final alliances before WWI: Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy,
Ottoman empire - Triple Entente: Britain, France, Russia
Assassination in Sarajevo - Serbian Outrage - June 1914 - Archduke Francis
Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary visited Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia (under the rule
of A-H) many Serbians were upset by his visit because they saw the Austrians as
foreign oppressors.
- The Black Hand (also known as Unity or Death) was a Serbian terrorist group who
wanted a free South Slav state by uniting Serbia and Bosnia - plotted the
assassination of the archduke.
- Gavrilo Princip - Serbian nationalist/Black Hand member - he shot and killed the
archduke and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914
The Conflict Widens - A Harsh Ultimatum - Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph
(Francis Ferdinand's uncle) sent Serbia an ultimatum (a final set of demands): 1.
Serbia must end all anti-Austrian agitation 2. Serbia must punish any of their
officials involved in the murder plot 3. Serbia must allow A-H to take part in the
investigation
- Serbia agree to some, but not all, of the ultimatum's terms
- Kaiser Wilhelm II - leader of Germany - urged A-H to take a firm stand against
Serbia, pledged Germany's full support (gave Austria a "blank check") - A-H
declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914
- Czar Nicholas II (leader of Russia) telegraphed his cousin Kaiser Wilhelm II
(leader of Germany) - asked him to urge Austria to soften the demands - when this
plea failed, Russia began to mobilize (prepare its military forces for war) to protect
its ally Serbia
- Germany declared war on Russia - when Germany asked Russia's ally France to
stay out of the conflict, they refused -> Germany declared war on France - Britain
and Italy remained neutral
The Schlieffen Plan - named after German General Alfred von Schlieffen - plan was
designed to avoid a two-front war (against France in the west & Russia in the east) since Russia would be slow to mobilize, France would be defeated quickly and then
Germany would fight Russia
- Germany armies attacked France through neutral Belgium - Britain and other
powers had signed a treaty guaranteeing Belgium's neutrality -> outraged by
invasion of Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany - all major powers were now
in the conflict.
The Costs of War - 8.5 - 9 million dead, at least 17 million wounded - 1918 - an
influenza pandemic (spread of a disease across an entire country) killed more than
20 million people worldwide
Financial Burdens - Europe in financial ruins - Allies wanted reparations (payments
forwar damage) from Central Powers
Political Turmoil - under stress of war, govts. collapsed in Russia, Germany, AustriaHungary, Ottoman empire - unrest swept through Europe's colonial empires
The Paris Peace Conference
The Big Three:
1. U.S. Pres. Woodrow Wilson - "peace without victory," 14 Pts.
2. British Prime Minister David Lloyd George - wanted to punish Germany
3. French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau - wished to weaken Germany so it
could never threaten France again
Paris in 1918-1919 to determine the conditions of post-war Europe
Difficult Issues - Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando - demanded that Allies honor
their secret agreement to give Italy lands that were once ruled by A-H (a violation of
Wilson's idea of self-determination)
- self-determination couldn't satisfy everyone (e.g., overlapping territories of
ethnicities/nationalities ruled by Russia, A-H, Ottoman empire)
- Wilson forced to compromise on his 14 Pts. - however, the League of Nations was
created (based on idea of collective security, in which a group of nations acts as
one topreserve the peace for all)
The Treaty of Versailles - completed, signed in June 1919 at palace at Versailles drawn up by Allies, Germany signed it - they were forced to meet the following
conditions:
1. accept full responsibility for the war
2. pay $30 billion in reparations to Allies
3. reduce size of military
4. return Alsace and Lorraine to France
5. lose German territory and overseas colonies to the Allies
- Germany greatly resented treaty but had no choice but to sign it - resentment
would help spark an even deadlier world war
Widespread Dissatisfaction - Self-Determination in Eastern Europe - new nations
emerged: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (Baltic states), Poland (regained independence
after over 100 years of foreign rule), Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia
(South Slav state dominated by Serbia)
Mandate System - mandates - territories administered by western powers - Britain
and France gained mandates over German colonies in Africa, Ottoman lands in the
Middle East -> they became European colonies - colonized people thought they too
would gain self-determinations, felt betrayed by the peacemakers
Unfulfilled Goals - Italy - still upset it hadn't received lands promised by the Allies in
a secret treaty - Russia - not invited to Paris - Poland/Baltic states once part of
Russian empire - Japan - their control of parts of China not recognized by Europe
Hopes for Global Peace - over 40 countries joined the League of Nations, but not
United States - U.S. Senate refused to ratify treaty (U.S. govt. chose an isolationist
foreign policy after WWI) - Wilson's dream had become a reality, but not for his own
nation - League would be powerless to prevent war